High-power high-efficiency quasi-CW Sb-based mid-IR lasers using 1.9-/spl mu/m laser diode pumping

摘要

Power efficiency is a critical issue for mid-infrared (mid-IR) semiconductor lasers. Previously, the highest power and efficiency 4-/spl mu/m laser was pumped with 0.98-/spl mu/m laser diode. This letter used 1.9-/spl mu/m diode pumping for better quantum defect ratio and heat flow geometry. A 3.7-/spl mu/m InAsSb-AlAsSb laser yielded a pump-power-limited 1.25-W single-ended output in 1-ms-long pulse with 6.5% net optical-to-optical efficiency, in contrast with a 0.67-W thermally limited output and 2.7% efficiency with 0.98-/spl mu/m diode pumping, at 70 K. The results are believed to represent the highest quasi-continuous-wave power from a single device, highest efficiency, and, scaled to the emitting aperture, highest power density for any 3-4-/spl mu/m semiconductor laser for 1-ms pulse and /spl ges/70 K.